- Beitou Hot Springs
- Getting there
Verified August 2026
How to get to Beitou hot springs from Taipei
One metro line, one cross-platform change, one short branch train. No booking, no bus timetable, no transfer you can get wrong — Beitou is the only hot-spring village in Taiwan you can reach on the same card you use to buy coffee.
The short answer
Red line to Beitou, cross the platform, one stop to Xinbeitou. About 30 minutes and roughly NT$40 each way from Taipei Main Station. Trains run from about 06:00 to midnight, and the village starts across the street from the station exit.
By metro · 01 — the only way most people should go
Taipei Main Station to Xinbeitou, step by step
1. Take the red line north. The Tamsui–Xinyi line (R, red) runs through Taipei Main Station. You want a northbound train — the destination board will say Tamsui (淡水) or Beitou (北投). Both work; the Beitou train simply terminates earlier.
2. Get off at Beitou (R22). About 25 minutes and twelve stops from Taipei Main. Do not confuse this with Xinbeitou — the hot springs are one stop further.
3. Change to the pink branch train, same platform. This is the part that surprises people: you don't leave the platform or tap out. The Xinbeitou shuttle usually waits on the opposite face of the island platform. It's a two-carriage train decorated inside like a bathhouse, and it runs every few minutes.
4. Xinbeitou (R22A) is the end of the line. Three minutes. Everyone gets off; there is one exit. Beitou Park begins directly across the road.
What it costs
Taipei's metro charges by distance — NT$20 minimum to NT$65 maximum — and Taipei Main to Xinbeitou lands at roughly NT$40 each way. An EasyCard is charged the same as a single-journey token, so the card's real advantage is the transfer discount when you continue onto a bus, not a cheaper train.
Trains run roughly 06:00 to midnight. The last Xinbeitou branch train leaves a little before the main line's last service — if you're soaking late, check the departure board at the station rather than assuming.
BY RAIL · ~30 MIN · ~NT$40
- ~25 minTaipei Mainred line, northbound
- 3 minBeitou R22change, same platform
- Xinbeitou R22Aend of the branch
ON FOOT FROM THE STATION
- 1 minExitcross the road
- 4 minBeitou Parkfree foot baths
- 5 minMuseum1913 bathhouse
- Thermal Valley10–12 min total
Other starting points · 02
Getting to Beitou from anywhere else
| From | Route | Time | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taipei Main Station | Red line to Beitou → pink branch to Xinbeitou | ~30 min | ~NT$40 | The default. No transfer out of the paid area. |
| Ximen / ZhongshanCentral shopping districts | Green or red line to a red-line station, then north as above | 30–40 min | ~NT$40 | Zhongshan is already on the red line — no interchange needed. |
| Taipei 101 / Xinyi | Red line direct from Taipei 101/World Trade Center, all the way north | 45–50 min | ~NT$50 | One seat the whole way — the red line runs from Xinyi to Beitou. |
| Songshan AirportDomestic and regional flights | Brown line to Zhongshan Junior High → red line north | 40–45 min | ~NT$40 | Easiest airport transfer in the city; no bus needed. |
| Taoyuan AirportInternational arrivals | Airport MRT to Taipei Main → red line north | 1 h 15 – 1 h 30 | ~NT$200 | Airport MRT is a separate fare (~NT$160 express). Doable with luggage but the village is hilly. |
| TamsuiThe riverside old town | Red line south four stops to Beitou → pink branch | ~20 min | ~NT$25 | The classic pairing — sunset in Tamsui after an afternoon soak. |
| By taxi from central Taipei | Direct, roughly 12–14 km | 25–40 min | NT$350–500 | Only worth it late at night, with luggage, or for a hillside resort. Traffic makes it slower than the train by day. |
| YangmingshanThe volcano above the village | Bus S9 or the park shuttle down to Beitou station | 30–50 min | ~NT$15–30 | Infrequent and slow. This leg is the real argument for taking a tour if you want both in one day. |
Metro fares are distance-based (NT$20–65) and quoted here as the band each route falls into; the machine at the station is authoritative. Taxi ranges are typical metered fares, not quotes. Verified August 2026.
On arrival · 03 — the village on foot
What's where when you step off the train
Xinbeitou station has one exit and everything of interest is uphill from it, strung along a single park. You will not need a map, but you will notice the gradient.
Walking times from Xinbeitou station
| 1 min | Beitou Park entrance, Xinbeitou Historic Station |
| 3 min | Nan Fung bathhouse, Beitou Library |
| 4 min | Free public foot baths, Millennium pool gate |
| 5 min | Hot Spring Museum, Longnice bathhouse |
| 10–12 min | Thermal Valley — the steaming lake, uphill |
| 15 min / shuttle | Hillside resorts — Spring City, Grand View |
Practical, before you go
- Buy or top up an EasyCard at any station — it works on metro, buses and most convenience stores.
- Bring cash. Older bathhouses, market stalls and some lockers don't take cards.
- Wear shoes you can slip off, and skip flip-flops on a wet day — the hill is steep and the stone is slick.
- Lockers exist at every paid bath, but not at the free foot baths. Travel light.
- Thermal Valley and the Museum close on Mondays. The baths don't.
Against our own interest — when a tour is worth the transport
The one journey the metro cannot solve
Everything above says the same thing: getting to Beitou is trivially easy and you should not pay anyone to do it for you. That holds right up until you want Yangmingshan in the same day.
The volcano sits directly above the village, but public transport up there is a different world — bus S9 or the park shuttle, infrequent, slow, and with further changes between the grassland, the fumaroles and the flower terraces. A confident traveller with a full day and clear weather can do it. Most people spend more time at bus stops than on trails.
So: take the train for Beitou, and consider a tour only if the mountain is part of the plan. The best-reviewed one runs 9 hours from $81 — ★ 4.6 across 375 reviews. All eleven tours compared → · Or the DIY day plan →
Questions · 04
Getting to Beitou — straight answers
How do I get to Beitou hot springs from Taipei?
Take the MRT red line (Tamsui–Xinyi) north to Beitou station, change across the platform to the pink Xinbeitou branch train, and ride one stop. About 30 minutes from Taipei Main and roughly NT$40 each way. The village begins across the road from Xinbeitou station.
Which station is Beitou hot springs?
Xinbeitou (新北投, R22A), not Beitou (北投, R22). Beitou is the interchange where you change trains; Xinbeitou is the end of a one-stop branch and the actual hot-spring village. Getting off one stop early is the classic mistake.
How much is the MRT to Beitou?
Roughly NT$40 each way from Taipei Main. Taipei's metro is distance-based, from NT$20 to NT$65, so the exact fare depends on where you start. An EasyCard costs the same as a single-journey token — its benefit is discounted transfers onto buses.
Do I need to change trains?
Yes, once — at Beitou station, onto the Xinbeitou branch. You don't leave the paid area or tap out; the branch train usually waits on the opposite side of the same platform and runs every few minutes.
How long does it take to get to Beitou?
About 30 minutes from Taipei Main Station, 30–40 from Ximen or Zhongshan, 45–50 from Taipei 101, and roughly 40 minutes from Songshan Airport. From Taoyuan Airport allow 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30 including the Airport MRT.
Can I get to Beitou from Taoyuan Airport directly?
Not directly — take the Airport MRT to Taipei Main Station, then the red line north. Total about 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30 and roughly NT$200. It's manageable with luggage, though the village is hilly and hillside hotels will want you to use their shuttle.
Is there parking in Beitou?
There is, but it's limited and the valley roads are narrow. Hotels have their own parking; public spaces near the park fill on weekends. Given the metro drops you at the entrance to the village, driving here is rarely the better choice.
What time does the last train leave Xinbeitou?
Around midnight, but the branch train's last departure comes slightly before the main line's, so check the board at the station if you're soaking late. Baths mostly close between 21:00 and 22:00 anyway; Spring City's private rooms are the notable 24-hour exception.
Can I walk everywhere once I'm there?
Yes. The Museum is five minutes from the station, Thermal Valley ten to twelve, and the main bathhouses are in between. Only the hillside resorts need a shuttle or a taxi — and most of them run a free one from the station.
Next · 05
The rest of the survey
Verified August 2026 · we earn a commission on bookings made through the links above, at no cost to you. This page exists mainly to tell you that you probably don't need one.